


Comeback King

by Srarticuno



Category: DmC: Devil May Cry, inFAMOUS: Second Son
Genre: Explicit Language, Fluff, M/M, Post-Game, tfw senpai keeps ignoring you, there is violence but it's not that bad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-15
Updated: 2015-10-15
Packaged: 2018-04-26 13:12:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5006068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Srarticuno/pseuds/Srarticuno
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dante travels the country after the end of his journey, trying to fix what he broke. Along the way, he decides to reach out and form an alliance with another, more heroic inhuman. To his dismay, it seems like it's going to be more trouble than it's worth.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Comeback King

**Author's Note:**

> Christening my ao3 account with something I wrote a few weeks ago that I had nowhere to post. This was originally something that I wrote for fun and showed to my friends. They liked it, so I decided to post it here, too, now that I have an account. We're all a bit addicted to the DmC/ISS crossover, so I'll probably be writing more later.

            A week in Seattle and Dante had already been acquainted with the city’s legendary hero. It hadn’t been the powers, the otherworldly battle, the gathering of people who weren’t exactly “human” that drew Dante here, though it was an added interest that lead to him checking it out. He came here because of Augustine. The D.U.P. hadn’t let up since her fall, and she was either back in office or someone else had taken control. That makes Seattle a pretty important stop for someone who vowed to protect the human world and preserve its freedom.

 

            The only problem with his visit to Seattle and subsequent meeting with its hero is… _how_ the two of them were acquainted. Dante approached Delsin Rowe in the middle of a crowd and demanded an audience. “I need to talk to you.” He’d said it confidently, paparazzi behind them, lights irritating and blinding as they flash with every picture taken. Yet, Delsin barely even glanced his way, instead choosing to bid his groupies farewell and turn to leave. Angered, Dante grabbed the jerk’s shoulder. “Hey!” he spat. “I’m talking to you!”

 

            “Whoa, whoa, hey, hands off.” Delsin’s voice was… deeper than the nephilim expected. Dante had never really bothered to listen to all the reports about people creaming their pants over this guy, but now he kind of regretted it. Kind of.

 

            “Look, I get it, you’re not the touchy-feely type, but would you _please-_ ” He runs, faster than anything Dante has ever seen. It leaves him breathless. Awed by the fact that someone neither demon nor angel can be powerful enough to do that. But most of all, he finds himself frustrated. Dante came all the way across the damn country to help _this_ guy to protect his city from the demons that the struggle with Mundus unleashed.

 

            That’s why Dante is working so hard. At first it was for the humans, but now? He has a rival. Sure, he wants to collaborate with this guy, but it’s obvious that he has to impress Delsin first. That crazy pink fairy running stunt was about as powerful as one of the hybrid’s angel moves. It takes a lot of skill to pull that off. Dante was never really one for puzzles or mystery shit, but damn, he couldn’t help being so curious about this new guy. It almost bordered on obsession after a while.

 

            Grabbing Delsin’s attention took a hard week of slaying demons and taking care of those D.U.P. bastards, freeing people who were caged and awaiting trial at that big concrete palace and protecting them from the hellspawn that freely roamed the earth. He’d rather have faced the jackass sooner, but he’d run away again if Dante wasn’t worth his time. And fortunately enough, when they meet again, it’s on the battlefield. Hell yeah. Dante kind of sucks at regular conversation if he isn’t letting his guns do the talking.

 

            Delsin had been struggling against a pack of demons when Dante arrived, and he was using some sort of strange, dark-colored projectile to fight. It’s weird, but not much weirder than the crazy fairy sprinting magic. Actually… He’s kinda glad that Delsin has powers that aren’t pink and sparkly. It’d be hard to work with this guy without making some sort of hilarious jab that lands him a pretty pink hole in his stomach.

 

            “Need help?” Dante doesn’t wait for Delsin’s reaction, just uses Ophion’s demon claw to pull the demon to the ground. A few hits with Eryx and Rebellion and the thing is done. Delsin just stares at him the entire time. “You just gonna stand there and look pretty or what?” That bit of snark snaps Delsin out of it, drawing him back into the fray with a disapproving snort.

 

            “You sure you’re not the one who needs it?” Delsin responds only moments before he leaps into the air. He soars up towards the heavens, dispersing into wisps of smoke that streak across the sky like the exhaust from a jet. Holy _shit._ That in itself almost blew Dante’s mind, and then shit got real when Delsin crashed back to the earth. A shockwave rolled over the concrete, forcing Dante to brace against the impact. Any closer, and that could’ve hurt real bad.

 

            Once the damage is done, Dante surveys the battlefield. All of the remaining demons are dead. An impressed whistle leaves his lips almost involuntarily. “Damn…” Scuffed boots nudge against the shattered remains of a buzzsaw. “That’s some crazy shit. You conduits all like this?”

 

            “Not exactly.” Delsin strides up to Dante with a lopsided grin. “Name’s Delsin,” he says, as if half of the world doesn’t already know who he is. Still, the conduit offers Dante a handshake that the nephilim eagerly accepts.

 

            “Dante,” he replies, giving Delsin a smirk of his own. The demon hunter expects a bit of banter to follow, maybe a few jabs at each other’s fighting styles, compliments and put-downs that both work to bring them closer together. What he gets is a frown. A deep furrow of Delsin’s brow shows that something in this situation doesn’t feel right. Dante’s mouth slowly begins to mirror the expression. “Is… something wrong?” Could Delsin know who he is and disapprove of his heritage? No way, that wouldn’t make sense. Why would he even allow Dante to shake his hand if he already knew?

 

            “No, it’s… It’s fine, man, don’t worry.” Delsin pulls his hand away and shrugs. “Look, umm… Thanks. For the help, and… stuff. I’m gonna…” He holds up a hand as if to say goodbye. “Y’know, citizens to save, people to meet. Catch you later.”  
  
            Wait. Is Delsin just gonna _leave_ like that? No fucking way. “Hey, dickbag! I came all the way here from Limbo City to help your ass, and you-” Oh for FUCK’S SAKE, how DARE this guy keep running off in the middle of Dante’s sentences! In a puff of smoke, Delsin is gone, spiraling towards the nearest building and into a vent. “God fucking dammit, FUCK!” Rebellion slices through a lamppost to relieve Dante’s stress. “This isn’t over, Delsin!”

 

            It takes another three days and a part-time job at Olaf’s to find Delsin again. He hadn’t planned this well at all, and the job gave him good food to eat and money in his pocket. Delsin and his friends protect the city so well that Dante is only helping a mostly controlled situation. The economy, shaky as it is, can still run while the conduits fight the demons. Plus, working at a diner gave him an ear in Seattle’s social circles that lead Dante straight to the root of his little problem.

 

            When they meet again, it’s in Salmon Bay. Dante met a woman named Betty at the reservation who knew Delsin intimately, and a quick fib got him a meeting with the conduit under the guise of “a friend.” The wait for Delsin’s arrival had given Betty some time to show him around the longhouse, and she showcased the paintings that hung proudly on the walls. Most of them were Delsin’s. An odd feeling stirred in Dante’s chest, one that he wasn’t quite familiar with. Did the paintings move him? Strike him with awe? Honestly, he didn’t know. He was only sure that something about Delsin’s eclectic abilities made him feel this way.

 

            “Hey Betty, what’s-” As soon as Delsin barges in, begins to remove his layers and kick off his shoes, he stops in his tracks. The conduit and nephilim lock eyes, and Betty is all but forgotten. Dante can almost hear the words Delsin’s thinking. _Why the fuck did you let THIS guy in here?_

 

            “It’s not nice to walk out on a date,” Dante huffs, breaking the silence.

 

            “Can we… Uh…” Delsin is grimacing, like he doesn’t want to do this. It pisses Dante off even more. “…Do this outside?”

 

            “Fine.” Dante brushes past Delsin and out into the open. Anything to _finally_ get Delsin to actually _talk_ to him.

 

            Salmon Bay is beautiful, but the thick tension in the air makes it hard to appreciate the view. Dante hears the door close behind him, but doesn’t turn to look. His hand is firmly clasped around Ivory’s grip. “Dante, you need to leave.” The nephilim almost attacks him then and there. “I don’t know what the fuck you are, but I’m not going to let you hurt my tribe. Get out, or I’ll make you.”

 

            “Fucking hypocrite,” Dante spits. He’s not going to turn around. He knows he’ll go in for the kill if he does. “What the fuck are _you_ then, huh? Isn’t the entire government after you?”

 

            “I’m a _conduit,_ and no, just like…” Delsin’s dismissive shrug is almost audible. “ _Half_ the government. Okay, look, it’s not… I can’t hang around demons, man. You’re a cool guy, but… Look. The best I can give you is a free pass, you can go, do what demons… do, or, who demons do I guess. Just… Not in Seattle, okay?”

 

            So, that’s it. Delsin thinks he’s a demon. It’s almost impressive that the conduit caught on so fast, even if he only knows half of the truth. Dante’s still pissed that Delsin’s essentially discriminating against him, though. Jackass. He turns around, letting go of Ivory as he gives Delsin a hard glare. “I don’t know how you figured that out, but I’m not full demon, okay? I’m half angel, too, and if you would actually _let me explain myself,_ maybe you’d understand that I’m just trying to help you!”

 

            “Half angel, half striped gazelle… Sorry, man. Can’t do it.” Delsin does seem a bit apologetic, but he’s begun walking backwards away from Dante. Oh no you fucking _don’t_. “Everyone’s scared enough of the demons as is. Gotta protect my people first, and frankly, I’m doing a damn good job, if I say so myself.”

 

            “You don’t know what I know!” Dante’s never been a beggar, so he chooses to bark insults and orders instead. “I was there when the portal opened! I fought more demons than I can fucking count! I’m not leaving until I know that this city is safe!”

 

            “Well, now you know.” Delsin is smirking again, hands up in the air, as if in surrender. “The city _is_ safe. Because _I’m_ the one who’s gonna protect it.”

 

            “But you still can’t-!” Delsin ran off in the middle of what Dante was saying. _AGAIN._ This time it’s a pair of sparkling blue wings that carry him away. All right. All-fucking-right. The next time they meet, he’s not going to contain himself. He’s going to beat the living shit out of Delsin Rowe.

 

            Two fucking weeks, that’s how long he had to hunt down this bastard. Delsin had been actively avoiding him, avoiding the longhouse, making sure not to be anywhere _near_ places where he could encounter Dante. At times he’d even leave in the midst of battle, forcing Dante to clean up the demon scum while Delsin made his getaway. And two fucking weeks later, he was ready to raise Hell itself.

 

            Dante had been hiding out in an old, abandoned warehouse after causing a bit of ruckus. Not enough to tear the place down, but he definitely meant to attract some attention. This was the kind of ruckus that only a demon could make, so he knew Delsin would come straight to him if he would only wait patiently.

 

            And patience… was not his strong suit. Dante bided his time by pacing around the warehouse, his seething anger boiling in his veins. Some of the destruction was idle, impulses spurred by his distress. He really, really wanted to beat the shit out of this fucker. Teach him a lesson in respect. Now, he knew how Phineas felt. What it was like to be one of the “good” inhumans, and how it felt when people told you that you had to be bad because of who you are, even though they were inhuman themselves. Delsin should be able to relate to how he feels. The fact that he told him to fuck off simply because he’s part demon? That’s the biggest insult anyone’s ever given him.

 

            When Delsin arrives, peeking around the corner of the door and into the broken husk of a building, it couldn’t have been soon enough. Dante lunges into battle, dragging his unsuspecting victim towards him with Ophion’s claw. His devil form almost immediately takes over. A haze of screams blurs out the world around them, and a noiseless mouthing of “what the fuck” is clearly read from Delsin’s lips. Time to prove his worth. To prove everything Delsin should have seen as the two of them fought side by side.

 

            Maybe he’s going a bit overboard, he briefly thinks. He doesn’t try to hold himself back much, however, hacking into Delsin’s body with Rebellion as if the conduit were just another demon. Every gash, every spurt of blood is so damn satisfying. Not so superhuman now, are you?

 

            Eventually, his devil trigger runs dry, and Delsin doesn’t waste a second pulling himself back together. He shoots a rock, a _fucking rock_ at Dante. God dammit, this guy is full of too many tricks! Dante is down for a bit, carefully sliding the rock off his body and getting to his feet moments later. Delsin is gone when he looks back up. He wants to scream. But then, Delsin comes back.

 

            He returns in a haze of smoke, anger so powerful that his eyes burn with it. Delsin unwraps the chain around his wrist and swings it at Dante. Well, shit. It connects with the side of Dante’s jaw, and he sees stars for a moment. A volley of what he can only assume to be bullets hits his chest while he’s distracted, though Dante’s almost certain that Delsin doesn’t carry a gun.

 

            Time to show him what real firepower is like, then, huh? Dante pulls out Ebony and Ivory and makes him dance. A few bullets make contact, and the proof is in Delsin’s soft hiss of breath. Just when Dante thinks he has Delsin on the ropes, the conduit disperses into a smoke cloud and reappears in another part of the warehouse. “You gotta be kidding me!” Dante shouts. “That’s fucking cheating!”

 

            “You know what’s fucking cheating?!” Delsin sends a huge blast of smoke his way, and Dante narrowly dodges it. “You attacking me before I know you’re there!”

 

            “I just call that getting the first hit!” Dante pulls out Osiris and swings at Delsin with the angelic blade. “Making sure you don’t get cold feet again, too!”

 

            “Yeah, I’m not going anywhere!” Delsin manages to get out of the way and responds with wrapping his chain around Osiris’ blade. The two are at a standstill for that short moment. “Not until you learn your fucking lesson about being nice to the people you supposedly want to help out!”

 

            In that moment, Dante can’t help but smirk. This is exactly what he wanted. “Not going anywhere? Good,” he says. “Now I have your attention.”

 

            “In fucking full!” Delsin charges up to shoot Dante point blank, but Osiris is gone in a flash, replaced with Rebellion swinging in a horizontal slice. The conduit dashes away in that same burst of smoke, but doesn’t get too far. The battle has been exhausting for them both, and they’re running out of steam.

 

            Delsin bides his time with a few more lashes of his chain. The chain wraps around Rebellion on the last hit, and Delsin pulls it out of Dante’s hand, but the sword is gone in an instant and Osiris takes a bite out of his shoulder. “Fuck,” Delsin whimpers, falling to one knee. His hair is slick with sweat, and he’s panting heavily.

 

            Dante follows Delsin’s example, kneeling to the ground, using Osiris as a crutch to lean on. He fought hard, and he fought well, but using all that energy took a lot out of him. “Guess this means I win,” he mutters, though if Delsin were to find another source of energy, Dante would probably be fucked.

 

            “Not… even close.” Delsin glares up at Dante, but somehow, neither of them feel the need to continue the battle. They’re both stubborn as hell, and they could probably go on for hours. Yet, there’s just something so… relaxing, about all this. At least, to Dante. They’ve gotten it out of their systems, all of the rage is gone, no one’s going to _fucking run off again…_ It’s a good feeling. Like the burn after a really good workout.

 

            They sit in that silence for a while longer, Delsin glaring at Dante, while Dante leans against Osiris, a smirk growing ever wider on his face. They’re so close right now. Maybe that’s what convinces him to do it. Dante doesn’t know why, but he leans forward until their lips connect. It’s the least sexual kiss he’s ever had. Growing up in the slums, everyone only ever wanted him for his body… Not that he wasn’t damn fine, but he’d never really known tenderness. The simplicity of the situation, the burn in his chest from overexertion and the rewarding feeling of finally having what he worked so hard for, finally understanding what he felt in the longhouse, causes butterflies to flutter in his stomach.

 

            Delsin’s eyes are wide when Dante pulls away. “What… the fuck are you…”

 

            “Hey, now,” Dante grins, using Osiris to pull himself to his feet. “That’s off-limits until the second date.”

 

            “What?!” Delsin stands, and Dante, on a whim, dashes out of the warehouse. “Oh my God- GET BACK HERE!” Dante laughs, loud and hearty, while Delsin gives chase. For once, Delsin is the pursuer, and Dante is parading around town while the other male tries to piece together what the fuck just happened. And in that moment, Dante is sure he couldn’t be happier.


End file.
